Chapter 12 Outline
Case Study: Snowshoe Hare Cycles
Predation and Herbivory
CONCEPT 12.1 Most predators have broad diets, whereas a majority of herbivores have relatively narrow diets.
- Some predators move in search of prey, others sit and wait
- Many predators have broad diets
- Many herbivores specialize on particular plant parts
- Most herbivores have relatively narrow diets
Adaptations
CONCEPT 12.2 Organisms have evolved a wide range of adaptations that help them capture food and avoid being eaten.
- Predators and herbivores exert strong selection on their food organisms
- Predators and herbivores have adaptations to overcome the defenses of their food organisms
Effects on Communities
CONCEPT 12.3 Predation and herbivory affect ecological communities greatly, in some cases causing a shift from one community type to another.
- Exploitation influences the distributions and abundances of organisms
- Exploitation can alter ecological communities
Population Cycles
CONCEPT 12.4 Population cycles can be caused by feeding relations, such as a three-way interaction between predators, herbivores, and plants.
- Exploitation can cause population cycles
- Evolution can influence predator–prey cycles
Case Study Revisited: Snowshoe Hare Cycles
Connections in Nature: From Fear to Hormones to Demography
